Rail-joint.



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PATENTED MAY 8, 1906.

A. H. KRAMER.

RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1906.

Application filed August 23, 1905. Serial No. 275.449.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALLINGTON H. KRAMER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Monte Vista, in the county of Rio Grande and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rail-joints, and has for its object to provide a joint-fastening which will efiectually hold and support the meeting ends of the rails from vertical and lateral flexure and prevent the hammering ordinarily produced by the passage of the wheels of a train over thejoint.

Another object is to provide a novel construction of chair or splice-plate which may be manufactured at a low cost.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view looking toward the outer side of the joint. Fig. 2 is a similar view looking toward the inner side of the joint. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through one of the rails and the jointfastening.

1 and 2 denote the meeting ends of adj oining rails of ordinary construction, and 2 a fish-plate disposed upon the inner side of the rails and lapping the joint. A chair or spliceplate 3, constructed in accordance with the invention, is disposed on the outer side of the rails and is of sufficient length to extend in each direction the requisite distance beyond the joint to rigidly bind the rails together. The base 4 of this chair or splice-plate is coextensive in lwidth with the base-flanges of the rails, while the body portion thereof has a shoulder 5 to bear against the under side of the heads of the rails and hold the same from depression. The upper portion of the plate terminates in a head 6, which bears against the outer surfaces of the heads of the rails and lies flush with the upper surfaces of said heads. A flange or lip 7 is formed upon the head 6 and extends over upon the outer curved edges of the rail-heads, thus forming a stop to prevent upward play or tilting of the rail ends.

The central portion 8 of the tie-plate, which lies immediately opposite the oint, is of maximum thickness to give increased strength at this point, while to reduce weight at points where such thickness is not necessary the outer sides of the ends of the plates are channeled, as at 9, the vertical walls of the channels being inclined inwardly from said central portion to gradually reduce the thickness without impairing the strength of the plate. The fish-plate 2 is coextensive in length with the portion 8 and is fastened thereto and to the rails by a set of bolts 10, while bolts 11 connect the channeled ends of the plate with the rails. As a result of this construction the rails end will be held and stayed against vertical and lateral flexure and hammering prevented, while a simple form of chair or splice-plate is provided which is adapted to be produced at a comparatively low cost.

Having fully described and illustrated my invention, what I claim is 1. A rail chair or splice-plate having a central portion of maximum thickness and ends channeled at their outer sides substantially as described.

2. A rail chair or splice-plate having a cen tral portion of maximum thickness and ends channeled at their outer sides, the vertical walls ofthe channels being gradually inclined, substantially as described.

3. A rail chair or splice-plate having a central portion of maximum thickness and ends formed with channels in their outer sides increasing gradually in depth from said cen tral portion to the extremities of the plate, the plate having at its upper edge a head provided with a lip to overlap the curved outer edge of the head of the rails.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALLINGTON H. KRAMER.

Witnesses:

JOHN FIscHBAoH, OLIN PERDEW. 

